Production line accumulator

Abstract

An accumulator apparatus for accumulating product from a production line conveyor when a downstream stoppage occurs includes cylindrical compartmented rotary drum having a plurality shelves for supporting product thereon. A loading mechanism loads product from the conveyor upon each drum shelf when the downstream stoppage occurs. An unloading mechanism unloads product from each shelf of the drum when the downstream stoppage problem has been resolved.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An accumulator apparatus for accumulating product from a production line conveyor when a downstream stoppage occurs, said apparatus comprising, a horizontal pass through conveyor for supplying product from a source to a discharge station,   a cylindrical drum including a plurality of similar product supporting shelves, means securing said shelves in substantially side-by-side cylindrical relation, said drum being positioned in close proximal relation to said conveyor,   means for rotating said drum about its axis, said rotational axis of the drum being disposed substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said conveyor,   shiftable positioning means shiftable into and out of engaging relation with a pair of adjacent shelves to position each successive shelf to receive product from the conveyor or to unload product from the shelf upon the conveyor,   shiftable stop means adjacent said conveyor shiftable into and out of obstructing relation with respect to product on said conveyor,   shiftable loading means adjacent said conveyor and being shiftable to engage and load product from the conveyor upon each shelf as each shelf is moved to a loading position,   and unloading means positioned interiorly of said drum and being shiftable to unload product from each successive shelf upon the conveyor as each shelf is rotated to an unloading position.   
     
     
       2. The accumulator apparatus as defined in claim 1 and means engaging and supporting said drum for rotation about its rotational axis, said drum engaging and supporting means comprising a plurality of cam follower rollers located at each end of the drum. 
     
     
       3. The accumulator apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said drum indexes said drum through incremental angles of movement to successively dispose each shelf for loading product from and unloading product upon said pass through conveyor. 
     
     
       4. The accumulation apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said product supporting shelves have inner ends, said inner ends of adjacent shelves defining V-shaped notches, said positioning means engaging in the V-shaped notch of a pair of adjacent shelves to position one of said shelves for loading product upon or unloading product from said one shelf. 
     
     
       5. The accumulator as defined in claim 1 wherein said positioning means is positioned interiorly of said drum.